Q& A

Graphics

Irvine-based Data Fusion Technologies, which provides custom technology for law firms, recently named David van Toor as chief executive officer. He brings more than 20 years' experience providing software and consultancy solutions for business.

Previously, van Toor spent eight years at Sage, an Irvine supplier of business management and accounting software. He left in 2009 as a senior vice president of the company's customer relationship management solutions. He then was a principal at No Plan B, a business consultancy firm in Irvine.

In a recent interview, van Toor discussed the company's future and offered advice to those launching a technology business.

Q
What is the big idea behind Data Fusion Technologies (DFTech)?

A At DFTech, we drive data to decisions in large law firms. The law industry is exiting the recession with a higher cost structure than before. Their corporate clients are putting downward pressure on rates while insisting on more control over how work is done, and who does it. This dynamic is forcing a huge cultural shift as firm partners react to the need to be businessmen first, and lawyers second. DFTech provides the products and consulting services for firms to navigate these changes.

Q
Where do you plan to take the company?

A
Well, Bora Bora is lovely. … In all seriousness, the new global, social customer is also a professional services customer. They are savvy, informed, they demand transparency and inclusion, but most important, they know they are of high value. These changes are creating a never-before seen demand for new knowledge and expertise. I plan to ensure we have the staff, the products and the skills to meet this demand.

Q
What inspires you?

A This probably sounds like I lifted it from the pages of “Inspirational Messages for Dummies,” but the answer would be: Solving the puzzle. Turning “that can't be done” into “absolutely,” making the improbable inevitable.

Q
What values are important to you in business?

A Honesty. In the end, people want to be told the truth.

Q
What was the most difficult lesson you have learned on the job?

A Recognizing that people – my teams – embrace change in different ways, and at different speeds. Growing a company always means a lot of change to the employees. Giving each person the time and information they need to adopt the vision and goals is essential in getting their support and making the vision possible.

Q
What is the best advice you've ever received?

A It is not the mistake that matters most, it's what you do to recover, and what you do to ensure it's not repeated that shows true character. It was given to me by a customer while in my first job out of college.

Q
What advice would you give others launching a tech business?

A Keep the solution as small and as simple as possible, and ensure that at least 50 percent of the idea content comes from within your organization.

Q
What is the best business book you have read?

A “Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance.” It's not a true business book, but its lessons have shaped my business thinking more than any other book.

Q
What businessperson do you most admire?

A Steve Jobs. He was the most visible leader to build an explosively successful tech company by designing the customer's experience of the product, and not the product itself. Apple did not just design the iPod, they designed an entertainment experience and the iPod was simply the first device of many necessary to deliver that experience. It's an approach that is transforming the software industry.

Q What do you think is the greatest innovation in the past decade?

A The iPod, because it changed the way we viewed the “Device” as a whole.

Q What do you think will be the greatest innovation of the next decade?

A Hopefully something DFTech is building. Cloud computing will continue to deliver solutions that integrate parts of our lives together in ways that will allow us to do more, in less time. Also, the removal of cash from our wallets will have far-reaching effects that we can't foresee today.

User Agreement

Keep it civil and stay on topic. No profanity, vulgarity, racial
slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about
tragedies will be blocked. By posting your comment, you agree to
allow Orange County Register Communications, Inc. the right to
republish your name and comment in additional Register publications
without any notification or payment.